Why Cooking Together Is A Relationship Maker (Especially Now!)

As we all adjust to a very new reality of “life at home,” day-to-day chores such as cooking and cleaning can become either an inspiration or frustration.  Cooking has always been two things to me in my life: my craft AND my calm. While it would be appropriate to tell my entrepreneurial story as the private chef turned CEO of elle cuisine, instead I thought it more relevant to share some ways you can all get inspired in the kitchen while stuck in self-isolation.

“Eat, love, live, enjoy.” That is my company's motto, and it’s truly the base principle of how I live my life. In my humble opinion, one’s enjoyment of food directly impacts one’s love for life. One cannot be had without the other. Below, I highlight soulful ways to invest in yourself and your relationships through food and cooking.

Cooking Together This is the time to learn some new techniques! Challenge your relationship and experience something new. Just like trying a new sport or form of art, learning a new cooking technique can quickly become a healthy hobby. Aim to become a master at cooking a type of cuisine, like Julia Child did with French Food. Have fun by designating roles for each cooking adventure. Rotate roles day to day. For example, there can only be one head chef.  The leader, the chief decision maker, the captain who must fall on her/his/their sword if things don’t turn out as planned.  You and your partner should take turns acting as head chef, which relieves some of the pressure.

Cooking For One Another Surprise your loved one with a romantic dinner at home, freshly baked goods, or homemade granola and almond milk for your mornings together. Nothing says I love you like a home-cooked plate of food.  There's nothing sexier than cooking a decadent dish for your partner. And, to be honest, there is nothing more attractive than your boo jumping in to clean dishes once the meal has been enjoyed.

Cooking For Yourself Self-love and self-care have never been more important.  Cooking for yourself, whether for fun or practicality, 100% gives back to your soul. Challenging yourself to learn a new cooking technique or dish can easily turn into a new hobby. Hobbies have both physical and mental health benefits.  Not only have hobbies been proven to stimulate positive mental health, but the more you cook the less unhealthy, processed food you will eat and the better you will feel.

A great way to get inspired for your new cooking life is to stock up on a few key cookbooks. I have my favourites (which actually were my go-tos when I started cooking) I recommend everyone have in their kitchen library.

• Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
• The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer
• The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller
• Sunday Suppers at Lucques by Suzanne Goin
• Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ollolenghi

 I also have some favourite tutorials and websites packed with useful and easy info to get you in to the culinary swing of things.

• ChefSteps - The absolute best website for avant-garde cooking from home, whether you’re inexperienced or a seasoned chef.
• Masterclass with Thomas Keller - Learn from the master (all of the masterclass series is amazing).
• Joy of Baking - Uncomplicated, reliable baking recipes and how-to-videos.
• Binging with Babish - Learn how to make signature dishes from iconic movies.

Use this time at home to do something fun, delicious and useful for the both of you. Your mealtimes together will be an event rather than a task, and when you are able to host dinner parties and events again, they will be levelled up!

Lauren Mozer is the owner and executive chef of elle cuisine, Lauren's mission is to create truly exceptional culinary experiences with the finest quality food. She incredibly passionate about food, her business and her clients. Lauren is also currently in the midst of rescheduling her own June 2020 wedding, which will now be postponed to a later date yet TBD.